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WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

J u l y — S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 0

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

From the Vice Chair 2

Director’s Corner 3

SSB Activities 4

SSB Membership 5

SSB Standing Committee Chairs 5

New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics 6

New Releases from the SSB 8

Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internships 9

SSB Research Associate Presents at the

61st International Astronautical Congress 10

Staff News 11

SSB Staff 12

SSB Calendar 13

Selected Reports Available from the SSB 14

“The SSB has two very impor-

tant attributes to offer in the

conduct of space studies—

knowledge and integrity.”

—A. Thomas Young, Vice Chair, SSB

S P A C E S T U D I E S B O A R D N E W S

J u l y — S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 0

WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

My tenure as a member of the Space Studies Board (SSB) is about to conclude. When I was invited to join

the SSB 6 years ago I was honored; I was even more honored when asked to be vice chair. This is an opportunity

for me to offer some observations on the Board and the state of the civil space program.

The SSB has two very important attributes to offer in the conduct of space studies—knowledge and integrity.

I have been greatly impressed with the extraordinary individuals who are members and even more impressed with

the synergy that is represented by the Board as a whole. This remains true as members rotate on and off the Board. However, knowledge

alone is not adequate to meet the needs of space studies sponsors. Integrity is another critical ingredient to ensure that SSB reports serve

only one master which is in the best interest of the space program. The SSB is truly an “honest broker.” I would be remiss if I did not

highlight the exceptional SSB staff that makes the total operation function and makes all of us look good.

Currently, the most significant contributions of the Board are the decadal surveys which define strategies for each element of the

U.S. space science program. I have had the privilege to be a member of three decadal surveys. The most frustrating aspect of the surveys

is that the list of worthy activities not included in the resulting recommendations greatly exceeds what affordability allows to be included.

This is testimony to the quality of the resulting recommended program. My observation is that the members of the decadal surveys treat

their responsibilities with the utmost seriousness, and they are dedicated to excellence and maintain uncompromising integrity. The

surveys’outreach, inputs from the community, study, analysis, and debate are comprehensive and most remarkable. The resulting product

is clearly the best of the best. We must ensure that the integrity of the decadal surveys is not compromised and continues to represent the

“gold standard” in defining the future of space science.

While I am most impressed with the quality of SSB membership and reports, I am disappointed that the full potential of the SSB is

not being realized. The policies that govern the operation of the Board can be constraining. The enormous expertise represented by the

Board is not being applied to crucial issues, and the loser is the U.S. space program. Hopefully over time a better balance between

“rules” and contributions will be achieved.

The state of the U.S. civil space program is mixed. The accomplishments of the science program are incredible and I strongly

believe the opportunities available in the next few decades are greater than the extraordinary achievements of the past few decades. For

example, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and the James Webb Space Telescope

(JWST) have the potential to enormously increase our knowledge of Mars, our solar

system, and the universe. However, MSL and JWST cost and schedule issues are

present of major credibility challenges. We must do a better job of program

management and, in particular, establishing the most probable budgets.

Human spaceflight since Apollo has been dominated by the space shuttle and

the International Space Station. These are truly remarkable engineering and

operations achievements. However, no human space exploration has occurred since

Apollo 17, and we have been unable to establish a program that has a sufficient

commitment to see it through to implementation. This has resulted in a highly

inefficient use of human exploration resources. Currently there is debate as to what the human exploration program should be. Mars

appears to be the consensus ultimate objective. However, the intermediate program is ambiguous. We badly need a high-quality,

exciting, and executable program. For too long we have had more program than the budget would support. Either we must have more

budget or less program. This is true in the human and robotic programs. Continuing to pursue a program that is not executable will

assure another “train wreck.” We will accomplish more with a smaller program that is executable within budget limitations than by

pursuing a larger, more attractive program that is not executable within the available budget.

We have had five decades of remarkable accomplishments. The next five decades are populated with challenging and exciting

opportunities. To realize this potential, the total space community must be integrated and focused upon the success of the program to

provide knowledge, technology, pride, prestige, and inspiration.

—A. Thomas Young, Vice Chair, SSB

FROM THE VICE CHAIR

“The SSB is truly an

„honest broker.‟”

JULY—SEPTEMBER 2010

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 3

Friday August 13, 2010 was a major

milestone for the SSB and for me person-

ally. Following two years of immense

effort by the research community, the

latest decadal survey in astronomy and

astrophysics was released. The report

New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy

and Astrophysics is now available on the

National Academies Press website in its

prepublication format, as are the reports

of the survey’s nine expert panels. The

reports are free to download from NAP

thanks to the generous support of the Vesto Sliper Fund. The final

published, fully edited version of the report will be available in Janu-

ary 2011, with the panel reports in final form shortly thereafter.

Elsewhere in this newsletter, the survey’s chair Roger Blandford

describes the survey’s recommended science program. It is a pro-

gram that clearly demonstrates the continued vibrancy of this ancient

scientific endeavor. It is a program that promises a deeper under-

standing of the nature of the universe from its earliest moments to the

formation of the first stars and galaxies. It is a program that will

uncover untold secrets by means of vast surveys of our cosmos—

revealing its structure at the largest level and revealing the presence

of newly discovered planets in excess of the more than 500 we know

of orbiting stars other than our own. It is a program that promises to

unlock the mystery of dark energy, an unexpected discovery from the

last decade. And it is a program that promises to build on the valu-

able research infrastructure both in terms

of the human resources needed to carry

out programs and projects recommended

and in terms of the facilities that astrono-

mers use to peer out into the universe.

Before taking over as director of the

SSB, I served as the study director for the

survey. Although that role entailed long

hours, many phone calls, and a virtually

never-dormant 24-hour email link to the

survey chair, the effort was well worth it when I consider the privi-

lege it has been to work with such a dedicated set of scientists.

I am frequently asked why the astronomy and astrophysics sur-

vey has been as successful as it has been over its 50-year history.

There are a number of reasons that come to mind, but none are more

important than the willingness of the some 200 members of the re-

search community that the NRC appointed to the survey committee,

the panels, and the working groups to put aside their own research

and spend 2 years working on the prioritization of their field.

Equally as important are the many hundreds of astronomers who put

an enormous effort into composing more than 700 community-

written inputs to the survey. The dedication of the community of

astronomers to ensuring a successful survey was palpable over the

course of the study, and it continues to be clear at the many town hall

meetings that have been held across the country to allow the commu-

nity to address how to implement the survey’s program of science for

the next decade and beyond.

DIRECTOR’S CORNER The astronomy survey is a fine example, if not one of the pre-

mier examples, of why NRC staff do the work they do. It was an

honor to work with such a dedicated team of committee, panel, and

working group members. I learned much about the science, the field,

and the people of the U.S. astrophysical research enterprise, and this

column affords me the opportunity to say thank you to the astronomy

and astrophysics community for that experience.

Looking forward to new endeavors, the SSB is preparing for its

fall meeting where we will undertake a major workshop that will

explore both how the grand questions of the nation’s space research

program can best convey value and excitement to the public. The

workshop will feature invited presentations and session discussions

on five “Grand Questions:”

1. Understanding the Universe: How did it begin and how is it

evolving?

2. Are we alone?

3. Understanding the Solar System: How did it begin and how

is it evolving?

4. Earth: Will it remain a hospitable home for humanity in the

future?

5. What could the future hold for humans in space?

Sessions have been planned that will address issues such as:

“Inspiring Public Interest in Space Research and Exploration: Com-

munication Challenges and Opportunities” and “Communication

Pathways to the Public: Reading, Watching, Interacting.” The work-

shop will focus on how to sustain public understanding of, interest in,

and involvement with NASA science and exploration efforts that

might take several years to decades to

unfold. We have more than 200 regis-

trants for the meeting that will be held

November 8-10, 2010, at the National

Academies’ Beckman Center in Irvine,

California. A summary report of the

workshop will be released in early 2011.

More information can be found on the

SSB’s website. We are grateful to the

speakers and panelists who have volun-

teered to take part in our workshop, and

if you cannot join us in person at the workshop, we urge you to

watch for the report’s release where we hope to gather the collective

wisdom of the participants on this important aspect of our nation’s

space enterprise.

Finally a regrettable element of the upcoming workshop will be

that it is Tom Young’s last meeting as vice chair of the Board. While

Tom and I have not worked long together on the SSB, in his role as a

member of the Astro2010 astronomy and astrophysics decadal sur-

vey I have come to welcome and value his sage counsel over the 2

years we have worked on that project. His experience and under-

standing of the nation’s space program is second to none, and while

we will miss his serving on the Board, I expect Tom will continue to

be an exemplary member of the NRC family through participation in

various studies and other activities. All that remains to be done is to

thank Tom for the extraordinary service he has provided and contin-

ues to provide to the Space Studies Board and the National Acad-

emies.

—Michael Moloney, Director, SSB and ASEB

The astronomy survey is a fine

example, if not one of the pre-

mier examples, of why NRC

staff do the work they do.

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

PAGE 4 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

THE BOARD AND ITS STANDING COMMITTEES The Space Studies Board (SSB) did not meet during this quar-

ter; however, the SSB executive committee (XCOM) did meet on

August 23-25 at the J. Erik Jonsson Woods Hole Center in Woods

Hole, MA, for its annual strategic planning session. The XCOM met

with Marc Allen of NASA, and congressional representatives, Dick

Obermann and Jeff Bingham. The discussion between XCOM and

the government representatives included the impacts of recent re-

ports, future areas of study for the Board, and the role of the Board

and standing committees. XCOM members also discussed lessons

learned and impacts from the decadal surveys, the midterm assess-

ments of the decadal survey process, and the cost and technical risk

assessments that have been done for the recent decadal surveys. The

XCOM also discussed potential workshop activities and met with

Jean Pierre Swings (European Space Sciences Committee Chair) and

Jean-Claude Worms (European Science Foundation) via teleconfer-

ence for a discussion on a possible ESSC/SSB joint forum series.

The board will meet next at the National Academies’ Arnold and

Mabel Beckman Center in Irvine, CA, November 8-10, 2010 which

will include a workshop on Sharing the Adventure with the Public:

The Value and Excitement of “Grand Questions” of Space Science

and Exploration. Please visit our website for further details.

The Committee on Astronomy and Astrophysics (CAA) is on

hiatus until the completion of the astronomy and astrophysics de-

cadal survey.

The Committee on Earth Studies (CES) met on July 7-8, 2010,

in Washington, DC. Agenda items for this meeting included brief-

ings by NASA, NOAA, and USGS officials on the implementation

of the decadal survey in Earth science and applications from space

and the implications of a major restructuring of the NPOESS pro-

gram for climate-related measurements, including continuity of cli-

mate data records. As is customary, the committee also met with

agency officials to discuss issues of mutual interest, including poten-

tial NRC studies or workshops.

A subject of particular interest to the CES is the yet-to-be re-

quested study on the “governance” of Earth observations, which was

mandated by the 2005 NASA Authorization Act. In August 2010,

members of the CES; NRC staff, including the directors of the SSB

and the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate; and representa-

tives from OSTP, USGCRP, and NASA convened by teleconference

to discuss prospects for the study, which now appears to be on indefi-

nite hold. SSB staff and members of the committee also met with

representatives from the Geography Division of the USGS to discuss

a potential study on the value of developing an operational land re-

mote sensing capability. A preliminary statement of task for this

study was developed, and revisions were underway as the quarter

ended. The SSB is a collaborating NRC unit for the study,

“Assessing Requirements for Sustained Ocean Color Research and

Operations.” During the quarter, members of the CES and SSB staff

also were engaged in follow-up activities related to a meeting of the

Committee on Assessing Requirements for Sustained Ocean Color

Research and Operations on June 28-30 in Irvine, CA.

The Committee on the Origins and Evolution of Life (COEL)

met last quarter at the National Academies’ Keck Center in Washing-

ton, DC, on June 3-4. Discussions at this meeting and recent meet-

ings have lead to a study concerning the planetary protection require-

ments for spacecraft missions to the icy bodies of the outer solar sys-

tem at the request of NASA. The ad hoc Committee for Planetary

Standards for Icy Body Protection in the Outer Planets has been ap-

pointed and will begin meeting in January to address their statement

of task. For additional information on this project, see the Study

Committees section of this newsletter.

The committee will held their final meeting of 2010, at the Na-

tional Academies’ J. Erik Jonsson Center in Woods Hole, MA on

October 13-15. Discussions at this meeting included astrobiology,

life on the titanian ocean, and life in extreme environments.

The Committee on Planetary and Lunar Exploration

(COMPLEX) is on hiatus until the completion of the planetary sci-

ence decadal survey.

The Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP) is on hia-

tus until the completion of the solar and space physics (heliophysics)

decadal survey.

STUDY COMMITTEES As the quarter ended, the report from the ad hoc Committee on

the Assessment of Impediments to Interagency Cooperation on

Space and Earth Science Missions was nearing completion of its

response to external review. With the committee’s response to re-

view anticipated in mid-October, a prepublication version of the re-

port should be available in November 2010.

The report of the Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astro-

physics (Astro2010) was released as a prepublication on August 13

(the Executive Summary is reproduced in the Reports section on

page 8).

The steering committee for the Decadal Survey on Biological

and Physical Sciences in Space released its interim report to the

public on July 14. Co-chairs Betsy Cantwell and Wendy Kohrt

briefed NASA and congressional staff (separate briefings). The in-

terim report identified organizational issues important to the success

of the life and microgravity research enterprise at NASA, along with

areas of near-term research for the International Space Station.

Following the completion of its work on the interim report, the

committee returned its full attention to the final report and held its

last report development meeting on July 28-30 in Woods Hole. The

study panels also worked extensively throughout this period to com-

plete work on issues raised by the steering committee. The com-

pleted report draft entered external review on September 16. Review

comments were due on October 7, and a subset of the committee met

on October 14-15 as part of its activities to address issues raised in

review.

The steering committee for the Decadal Strategy for Solar and

Space Physics (Heliophysics) held its first meeting on September 1-

3 at the National Academies’ Keck Center in Washington, DC.

Work continued on the formation of the three discipline-oriented

study panels that will support the steering committee and on the for-

mation of five “national capabilities working groups.” These work-

(Continued on page 5)

SSB ACTIVITIES

JULY—SEPTEMBER 2010

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 5

COMMITTEE ON ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS (CAA)*

COMMITTEE ON EARTH STUDIES (CES)

Chair: Berrien Moore III

Vice Chair: Ruth S. DeFries

COMMITTEE ON THE ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION OF LIFE (COEL)**

Co-Chairs: Robert T. Pappalardo and J. Gregory Ferry

COMMITTEE ON PLANETARY AND LUNAR EXPLORATION (COMPLEX)***

COMMITTEE ON SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS (CSSP)***

*Joint with the Board on Physics and Astronomy; on hiatus during the Astro2010 decadal survey.

**Joint with the Board on Life Sciences.

***COMPLEX and CSSP are on hiatus during the planetary science decadal survey and the solar and space

physics decadal survey, respectively.

SSB STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS

ing groups are made up of community members who are willing to serve as unpaid consultants to

assist the steering committee and panels in gathering information and providing context to the

survey’s work in particular focus areas. Planning occurred for several town hall events, which

will be held in Boulder, CO; Durham, NH; Ann Arbor, MI; College Park, MD; Berkeley, CA;

and San Francisco, CA during the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union. More infor-

mation about the survey is posted at a public website that is available via a link posted at the

homepage of the Space Studies Board (www.nationalacademies.org/ssb); or directly at http://

sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_056864.

The ad hoc Committee on Planetary Protection Standards for Icy Bodies in the Solar

System was established in September, following formal NRC project approval in July and arrival

of NASA funding in August. The study will develop and recommend planetary protection stan-

dards for future spacecraft missions, including possible landers and subsurface probes, to the icy

bodies in the outer solar system (asteroids, satellites, Kuiper Belt objects, and comets) in light of

current scientific understanding and ongoing improvements in mission-enabling capabilities and

technologies. The committee will hold its first meeting on January 31-February 2, 2011, at the

National Academies’ Keck Center in Washington, DC, and its second meeting on March 16-18

at the National Academies’ Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center in Irvine, CA.

The Planetary Science Decadal Survey charge is to determine the current state of knowl-

edge and identify the most important scientific questions expected to face the community during

the interval 2013-2022. During this quarter, the decadal survey’s steering committee held its

final two meetings in Washington, DC, on July 13-15 and August 3-4. During these two meet-

ings, the steering committee continued its efforts to integrate the panel findings into a final draft

report for submission to review. The draft is expected to enter into review in October.

The decadal survey’s target delivery to NASA and the NSF is the end of March 2011. The

presentations from decadal survey meetings, together with meeting summaries and archived

webcasts, are available at the decadal survey’s website http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/

CurrentProjects/ssb_052412.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) will hold its next scientific assembly in

Mysore, India, on July 14-22, 2012. The annual business meetings will be held at COSPAR’s

Paris headquarters on March 21-24, 2011.

During the next two quarters SSB outreach staff will be exhibiting at the American Geo-

physical Union meeting in December, the American Astronomical Society meeting in January,

and the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in February.

(Continued from page 4)

JULY 1, 2010—JUNE 30, 2011

CHARLES F. KENNEL, CHAIR

Scripps Institution of Oceanography,

University of California, San Diego

A. THOMAS YOUNG, VICE CHAIR (12/10)

Lockheed Martin Corporation (ret.)

STEVEN J. BATTEL

Battel Engineering

YVONNE C. BRILL

Aerospace Consultant

ELIZABETH R. CANTWELL

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ANDREW B. CHRISTENSEN

Dixie State College and

The Aerospace Corporation

ALAN DRESSLER

The Observatories of the Carnegie Institution

JACK D. FELLOWS

University Corporation for Atmospheric

Research

HEIDI B. HAMMEL

Space Science Institute

FIONA A. HARRISON

California Institute of Technology

ANTHONY C. JANETOS

University of Maryland

JOAN JOHNSON-FREESE

U.S. Naval War College

MOLLY K. MACAULEY

Resources for the Future, Inc.

JOHN F. MUSTARD

Brown University

ROBERT T. PAPPALARDO

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California

Institute of Technology

JAMES A. PAWELCZYK

Pennsylvania State University

SOROOSH SOROOSHIAN

University of California, Irvine

DAVID N. SPERGEL

Princeton University

JOAN VERNIKOS

Thirdage, LLC

WARREN M. WASHINGTON

National Center for

Atmospheric Research

CHARLES E. WOODWARD

University of Minnesota

THOMAS H. ZURBUCHEN

University of Michigan

LIAISON

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO COSPAR

ROBERT P. LIN University of California, Berkely

SSB MEMBERSHIP

For more information on the membership of the

SSB please visit our website at

<www.nationalacademies.org/ssb>.

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

PAGE 6 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

Every 10 years the astronomy community mounts a major effort

to define a scientific program for the next decade. The surveys build

community consensus around a set of priorities for major projects in

the field. They have been remarkably successful over the past 50

years in promoting the implementation of these high-priority initia-

tives on the ground and in space.

The current survey, organized under the auspices of the Board on

Physics and Astronomy and the Space Studies Board of the National

Research Council, was recently released in preliminary form

(National Research Council, 2010). Following in the footsteps of its

five predecessors, it recommends a prioritized program of activities

for the 2012-2021 decade, and it lays the foundation for the decade

after that. But unlike previous surveys, it reprioritized any project

recommended in a previous survey that has not been realized. And,

responding to concerns about cost growth of major projects, the sur-

vey engaged the Aerospace Corporation to assist it in assessing the

technical readiness and appraising the likely cost of the large pro-

jects. The recommended program fits within plausible budget sce-

narios based on input from the agencies supporting research in this

field. As a result, recommended priorities reflect an executable bal-

ance of scientific promise against cost, risk, and readiness. The in-

ternational context also played an important role in the committee’s

deliberations, and many of the large projects involve international

collaboration as well as private donors and foundations.

An important feature of the surveys is extensive consultation

with and input from the scientific community. To plan the survey

and assist in making the decision about when to initiate it, the Board

on Physics and Astronomy convened a group of researchers at the

National Academies’ Keck Center. The result was the foundation of

a proposal to NASA, NSF, and DOE to launch a new survey, dubbed

Astro2010. The survey committee, formed in 2008, created 9 panels

involving 123 members of the astronomy and astrophysics research

community at universities and government laboratories to provide

science assessments and to established priorities within defined areas

of ground-based and space-based research. The Committee issued a

request for information to elicit proposals for projects to be priori-

tized, which resulted in the submission of more than 300 white pa-

pers that provided broad community input to the panels. More de-

tails on the process may be found at http://

www.nationalacademies.org/bpa .

The committee found that astronomers’ overall view of the uni-

verse has changed dramatically in the past decade. Hundreds of

planets of startling diversity have been discovered orbiting distant

suns. Black holes, once viewed as an exotic theoretical possibility,

are now known to be present at the center of most galaxies, including

our own. Precision measurements of the primordial radiation left by

the big bang have enabled astronomers to determine the age, size,

and shape of the universe. Other astronomical observations have

revealed that most of the matter in the universe is dark and invisible,

and the expansion of the universe is accelerating in an unexpected

and unexplained way. Recent discoveries, powerful new ways to

observe the universe, and bold new ideas to understand it have cre-

ated scientific opportunities without precedent.

The growing intersection between physics and astronomy figures

prominently in the new discoveries and insights about the universe.

The physics underlying many astronomical phenomena is becoming

clearer. At the same time, the cosmos is proving to be a laboratory

for the exploration of basic questions in general relativity, particle

and nuclear physics, and atomic, condensed-matter, and plasma

physics.

The science objectives chosen by the survey committee for the

decade 2012-2021 are

Searching for the first stars, galaxies, and black holes;

Seeking nearby habitable planets; and

Advancing understanding of the fundamental physics of the

universe.

These three objectives represent unprecedented opportunities

that are now becoming within our capability to explore. The discov-

eries made will surely lead to new and sometimes surprising insights

that will continue to expand our understanding and sense of possibil-

ity, revealing new worlds and presenting new horizons, the study of

which will bring us closer to understanding the cosmos and our place

within it. The identification of these science priorities played a semi-

nal role in the process: the organizing principle for construction of

the project priorities was to provide a balanced portfolio of capabili-

ties to address these science objectives.

This report recommends a program that will set the astronomy

and astrophysics community firmly on the path to answering some of

the most profound questions about the cosmos. In the plan, new opti-

cal and infrared survey telescopes on the ground and in space will

employ a variety of novel techniques to investigate the nature of dark

energy. These same telescopes will determine the architectures of

(Continued on page 7)

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Survey Committee

New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics

By Roger Blandford, Chair, Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics and

Donald C. Shapero, Director of the Board on Physics and Astronomy

JULY—SEPTEMBER 2010

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 7

thousands of planetary systems, observe the explosive demise of

stars, and open a new window on the time-variable universe. Spec-

troscopic and high-spatial-resolution imaging capabilities on new,

large ground-based telescopes will enable researchers to discern the

physical nature of objects discovered at both shorter and longer

wavelengths by other facilities in the committee’s recommended

program. Innovative moderate-cost programs in space and on the

ground will be enhanced so as to enable the community to respond

rapidly and flexibly to new scientific discoveries. Construction will

begin on a space-based observatory that employs the new window of

gravitational radiation to observe the merging of distant black holes

and other dense objects and to precisely test theories of gravity in

new regimes that we can never hope to study on Earth. The founda-

tions will be laid for studies of the hot universe with a future X-ray

telescope that will search for the first massive black holes and follow

the cycling of gas within and beyond galaxies. Scientists will conduct

new ground-based experiments to study the highest-energy photons

emitted by cosmic sources. At the opposite end of the electromag-

netic spectrum, radio techniques will become powerful enough to

view the epoch when the very first objects began to light up the uni-

verse, marking the transition from a protracted dark age to one of self

-luminous stars. The microwave background radiation will be scruti-

nized for the telltale evidence that inflation actually occurred. Per-

haps most exciting of all, researchers will identify which nearby stars

are orbited by planets on which life could also have developed.

Realizing these and an array of other scientific opportunities is

contingent on maintaining and strengthening the foundations of the

research enterprise that are essential in the cycle of discovery—

including technology development, theory, computation and data

management, and laboratory experiments, as well as, and in particu-

lar, human resources. At the same time, the greatest strides in under-

standing often come from bold new projects that open the universe to

new discoveries, and such projects thus drive much of the strategy of

the survey’s proposed program. This program requires a balance of

small, medium, and large initiatives on the ground and in space. The

large and medium elements within each size category are as follows:

In Space: (Large-scale, in priority order) Wide-Field Infrared

Survey Telescope (WFIRST)—an observatory designed to settle es-

sential questions in both exoplanet and dark energy research, and

which will advance topics ranging from galaxy evolution to the study

of objects within our own galaxy. The Explorer Program—

augmenting a program that delivers a high level of scientific return

on relatively moderate investment and that provides the capability to

respond rapidly to new scientific and technical breakthroughs. Laser

Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA)—a low-frequency gravita-

tional wave observatory that will open an entirely new window on

the cosmos by measuring ripples in space-time caused by many new

sources, including nearby white dwarf stars, and will probe the na-

ture of black holes. International X-ray Observatory (IXO)—a pow-

erful X-ray telescope that will transform our understanding of hot gas

associated with stars and galaxies in all evolutionary stages.

(Medium-scale, in rank order) New Worlds Technology Develop-

ment Program—a competed program to lay the technical and scien-

tific foundation for a future mission to study nearby Earth-like plan-

ets. Inflation Probe Technology Development Program—a com-

peted program to prepare for a potential next-decade cosmic micro-

wave-background mission to study the epoch of inflation.

(Continued from page 6) On the Ground: (Large-scale, in priority order) Large Synoptic

Survey Telescope (LSST)—a wide-field optical survey telescope that

will transform observation of the variable universe and will address

broad questions that range from indicating the nature of dark energy

to determining whether there are objects that may collide with Earth.

Mid-Scale Innovations Program augmentation—a competed pro-

gram that will provide the capability to respond rapidly to scientific

discovery and technical advances with new telescopes and instru-

ments. Giant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT)—a large optical

and near-infrared telescope that will revolutionize astronomy and

provide a spectroscopic complement to the James Webb Space Tele-

scope (JWST), the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), and

LSST. Atmospheric Cerenkov Telescope Array (ACTA)—

participation in an international telescope to study very high energy

gamma rays. (Medium-scale) CCAT (formerly the Cerro Chajnantor

Atacama Telescope)—a 25-meter wide-field submillimeter telescope

that will complement ALMA by undertaking large-scale surveys of

dust-enshrouded objects.

These major new elements must be combined with ongoing sup-

port of the core research program to ensure a balanced program that

optimizes overall scientific return. To achieve that return, the survey

balances the program with a portfolio of unranked smaller projects

and augmentations to the core research program, funded by all three

agencies. These elements include support of individual investigators,

instrumentation, laboratory astrophysics, public access to privately

operated telescopes, suborbital space missions, technology develop-

ment, theoretical investigations, and collaboration on international

projects.

The survey report also identifies unique ways that astronomers

can contribute to solving the nation’s challenges. In addition, the

public will continue to be inspired with images of the cosmos and

descriptions of its contents, and students of all ages will be engaged

by vivid illustrations of the power of science and technology. These

investments will sustain and improve the broad scientific literacy

vital to a technologically advanced nation, as well as providing spin-

off technological applications to society.

The committee and I are deeply grateful to the astronomy and

astrophysics community for its commitment to this gigantic effort

and its broad involvement, as well as a willingness to support the

community consensus. That support was essential to producing the

report, and it will continue to be essential in implementing the shared

vision that the survey report recommends.

__________________________

National Research Council. New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astro-

physics. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2010 (prepublication ver-

sion).

This article appeared in the APS News (http://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/)

November 2010 (Volume 19, Number 10).

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

PAGE 8 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

Executive Summary

Our view of the universe has changed dramatically. Hundreds

of planets of startling diversity have been discovered orbiting distant

suns. Black holes, once viewed as an exotic theoretical possibility,

are now known to be present at the center of most galaxies, including

our own. Precision measurements of the primordial radiation left by

the big bang have enabled astronomers to determine the age, size,

and shape of the universe. Other astronomical observations have

also revealed that most of the matter in the universe is dark and in-

visible and that the expansion of the universe is accelerating in an

unexpected and unexplained way. Recent discoveries, powerful new

ways to observe the universe, and bold new ideas to understand it

have created scientific opportunities without precedent.

This report of the Committee for a Decadal Survey of Astron-

omy and Astrophysics proposes a broad-based, integrated plan for

space- and ground-based astronomy and astrophysics for the decade

2012-2021. It also lays the foundations for advances in the decade

2022-2031. It is the sixth in a sequence of National Research Coun-

cil (NRC) decadal studies in this field and builds on the recommen-

dations of its predecessors. However, unlike previous surveys, it

reexamines unrealized priorities of preceding surveys and reconsid-

ers them along with new proposed research activities to achieve a

revitalized and timely scientific program. Another new feature of the

current survey is a detailed analysis of the technical readiness and

the cost risk of activities considered for prioritization. The committee

has formulated a coherent program that fits within plausible funding

profiles considering several different budget scenarios based on

briefings by the sponsoring agencies—the National Aeronautics and

Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the De-

partment of Energy. As a result, recommended priorities reflect an

executable balance of scientific promise against cost, risk, and readi-

ness. The international context also played an important role in the

committee’s deliberations, and many of the large projects involve

international collaboration as well as private donors and foundations.

The priority science objectives chosen by the survey committee

for the decade 2012-2021 are searching for the first stars, galaxies,

and black holes; seeking nearby habitable planets; and advancing

understanding of the fundamental physics of the universe. These

three objectives represent unprecedented opportunities now becom-

ing within our capability to explore. The discoveries made will

surely lead to new and sometimes surprising insights that will con-

tinue to expand our understanding and sense of possibility, revealing

new worlds and presenting new horizons, the study of which will

bring us closer to understanding the cosmos and our place within it.

This report recommends a program that will set the astronomy

and astrophysics community firmly on the path to answering some of

the most profound questions about the cosmos. In the plan, new opti-

cal and infrared survey telescopes on the ground and in space will

employ a variety of novel techniques to investigate the nature of dark

energy. These same telescopes will determine the architectures of

thousands of planetary systems, observe the explosive demise of

stars, and open a new window on the time-variable universe. Spec-

troscopic and high-spatial-resolution imaging capabilities on new

large ground-based telescopes will enable researchers to discern the

physical nature of objects discovered at both shorter and longer

wavelengths by other facilities in the committee’s recommended

program. Innovative moderate-cost programs in space and on the

ground will be enhanced so as to enable the community to respond

rapidly and flexibly to new scientific discoveries. Construction will

begin on a space-based observatory that employs the new window of

gravitational radiation to observe the merging of distant black holes

and other dense objects and to precisely test theories of gravity in

new regimes that we can never hope to study on Earth. The founda-

tions will be laid for studies of the hot universe with a future X-ray

telescope that will search for the first massive black holes, and that

will follow the cycling of gas within and beyond galaxies. Scientists

will conduct new ground-based experiments to study the highest-

energy photons emitted by cosmic sources. At the opposite end of

the electromagnetic spectrum, radio techniques will become power-

ful enough to view the epoch when the very first objects began to

light up the universe, marking the transition from a protracted dark

age to one of self-luminous stars. The microwave background radia-

tion will be scrutinized for the telltale evidence that inflation actually

occurred. Perhaps most exciting of all, researchers will identify

which nearby stars are orbited by planets on which life could also

have developed.

Realizing these and an array of other scientific opportunities is

contingent on maintaining and strengthening the foundations of the

research enterprise that are essential in the cycle of discovery—

including technology development, theory, computation and data

management, and laboratory experiments, as well as, and in particu-

lar, human resources. At the same time, the greatest strides in under-

standing often come from bold new projects that open the universe to

new discoveries, and such projects thus drive much of the strategy of

the committee’s proposed program. This program requires a balance

of small, medium, and large initiatives on the ground and in space.

The large and medium elements within each size category are as

(Continued on page 9)

New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics

This report by the Committee for a Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics is available at http://www.nap.edu/

catalog.php?record_id=12951. The study was led by Roger Blandford, Chair; Vice Chairs, Martha Haynes, John Hu-

chra, and Marcia Rieke; and Executive Officer Lynne Hillenbrand. The study was staffed by Michael Moloney, Study

Director (see pages v-ix of the report for a full staff listing). This study was led by the Board on Physics and Astronomy in

conjunction with the Space Studies Board.

NEW RELEASES FROM THE SSB

Summaries are reproduced here without references, notes, figures, tables, boxes, or attachments.

Copies of reports are available from the SSB office at 202-334-3477 or online at www.nap.edu/.

JULY—SEPTEMBER 2010

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 9

LLOYD V. BERKNER SPACE POLICY INTERNSHIPS

WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR INTERNSHIPS FOR THE SUMMER 2011 PROGRAM

The goal of the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship program is to provide promising undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to

work in the area of civil space research policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the SSB.

Established in 1958 to serve as the focus of the interests and responsibilities in space research for the National Academies, the Board provides an inde-

pendent, authoritative forum for information and advice on all aspects of space science and applications, and it serves as the focal point within the National

Academies for activities on space research. It oversees advisory studies and program assessments, facilitates international research coordination, and pro-

motes communications on space science and science policy between the research community, the federal government, and the interested public. The SSB also

serves as the U.S. National Committee for the International Council for Science Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).

The Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internships, named after the first chair of the SSB, are offered twice annually. The summer program is restricted to

undergraduates, and the autumn 2010 program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students.

The SSB is now accepting applications from undergraduates for its summer 2011 program. The deadline for applications is February 4, 2011. Success-

ful candidates will be contacted no later than March 4, 2011.

Individuals seeking a Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship must have the following minimum qualifications:

Be a registered student at a U.S. university or college;

Have completed his/her junior year, majoring in physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, or geology (other areas considered on a case-by-case ba-

sis);

Have long-term career goals in space science research, applications, or policy;

Possess good written and verbal communications skills and a good knowledge of his/her particular area of study;

Be capable of responding to general guidance and working independently; and

Be familiar with the internet, world wide web and basic research techniques (familiarity with Microsoft Word and HTML is highly desirable, but

not essential).

NOTE: SELECTION OF INTERNS AND INITIATION OF PROGRAM IS DEPENDENT ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.

Visit http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/ssb_052239 to learn more about the internship program and to get application information.

follows:

In Space: (Large-scale, in priority order) Wide-Field Infrared

Survey Telescope (WFIRST)—an observatory designed to settle es-

sential questions in both exoplanet and dark energy research, and

which will advance topics ranging from galaxy evolution to the study

of objects within our own galaxy. The Explorer Program—

augmenting a program that delivers a high level of scientific return on

relatively moderate investment and that provides the capability to

respond rapidly to new scientific and technical breakthroughs. Laser

Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA)—a low-frequency gravitational

wave observatory that will open an entirely new window on the cos-

mos by measuring ripples in space-time caused by many new sources,

including nearby white dwarf stars, and will probe the nature of black

holes. International X-ray Observatory (IXO)—a powerful X-ray

telescope that will transform our understanding of hot gas associated

with stars and galaxies in all evolutionary stages. (Medium-scale, in

rank order) New Worlds Technology Development Program—a com-

peted program to lay the technical and scientific foundation for a fu-

ture mission to study nearby Earth-like planets. Inflation Probe Tech-

nology Development Program—a competed program designed to pre-

pare for a potential next-decade cosmic microwave-background mis-

sion to study the epoch of inflation.

On the Ground: (Large-scale, in priority order) Large Synoptic

Survey Telescope (LSST)—a wide-field optical survey telescope that

will transform observation of the variable universe and will address

broad questions that range from indicating the nature of dark energy

to determining whether there are objects that may collide with Earth.

Mid-Scale Innovations Program augmentation— a competed program

that will provide the capability to respond rapidly to scientific discov-

ery and technical advances with new telescopes and instruments. Gi-

ant Segmented Mirror Telescope (GSMT)—a large optical and near-

(New Releases continued from page 8) infrared telescope that will revolutionize astronomy and provide a

spectroscopic complement to the James Webb Space Telescope

(JWST), the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), and LSST.

Atmospheric Čerenkov Telescope Array (ACTA)—participation in

an international telescope to study very high energy gamma rays.

(Medium-scale) Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT)—a

25-meter wide-field submillimeter telescope that will complement

ALMA by undertaking large-scale surveys of dust-enshrouded ob-

jects.

These major new elements must be combined with ongoing

support of the core research program, to ensure in a balanced pro-

gram that optimizes overall scientific return. To achieve that return

the committee balances the program with a portfolio of unranked

smaller projects and augmentations to the core research program,

funded by all three agencies. These elements include support of

individual investigators, instrumentation, laboratory astrophysics,

public access to privately operated telescopes, suborbital space mis-

sions, technology development, theoretical investigations, and col-

laboration on international projects.

This report also identifies unique ways that astronomers can

contribute to solving the nation’s challenges. In addition, the public

will continue to be inspired with images of the cosmos and descrip-

tions of its contents, and students of all ages will be engaged by

vivid illustrations of the power of science and technology. These

investments will sustain and improve the broad scientific literacy

vital to a technologically advanced nation as well as providing spin-

off technological applications to society.

The committee notes with appreciation the striking level of

effort and involvement in this survey contributed by the astronomy

and astrophysics community. The vision detailed in this report is a

shared vision.

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

PAGE 10 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

by Lewis Groswald, SSB Research Associate

Every year, the International Astronautical Federation

(IAF) holds a conference where people from all over the

world convene to present, discuss, and learn about the latest in

space science, engineering, technology development, and policy around the

world. The conference takes place in a different city each year, and this

year’s 61st International Astronautical Congress (IAC) was based in Prague,

Czech Republic. Topics addressed at the congress included space life sci-

ences, microgravity sciences and processes, solar system exploration (human

and robotic), space debris, Earth observation, space communications and

navigation, small satellite missions, astrodynamics, materials and structure,

space power and propulsion, space history, education, visions and strategies,

space transportation, business, and space law. I was fortunate enough to pre-

sent a paper written by me and two of my classmates from the George Wash-

ington University Space Policy Institute graduate program on a new type of

small satellite, the CubeSat.

The focus of our paper was two-fold: explaining how cubesats fit in the

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD’s) Sci-

ence, Technology, and Industry Scorecard; and showing that cubesats can be

a low-cost/low barrier to entry beginning, or at least a viable part, of a knowl-

edge-based economy, especially for developing nations. This scorecard, with

57 indicators, is designed to help policymakers determine what actions they

can take (or are already taking) to transform their economy towards a knowl-

edge-based one. The paper was broken down into three pillars (science, tech-

nology, engineering and mathematics education; science; and innovation) to

elucidate the capabilities of cubesats in these areas and to show how these

three areas fit within the larger OECD Scorecard. An example of our map-

ping exercise is shown to the right.

Of course, we recognized that this nascent technology, which only just

came into being in 2000 from Caltech, is not a panacea for the woes of the

large and expensive satellite systems, and so far it is still limited in its capa-

bilities. However, even over the past decade, the cubesat has been improved

upon and its capabilities expanded to include remote sensing and biological

experiments in microgravity. Moreover, the relative low cost—anywhere

from a few tens of thousands of dollars to $1 million—and low barrier to en-

try for the technology make it a promising avenue for building up an aero-

space cadre in a developing nation. Nevertheless, these sums are still not very

modest for a university that operates on a budget considerably smaller than,

say NASA. Consequently, we recommended that universities and govern-

ments around the world work together to figure out ways to provide adequate

and stable funding for these programs and incubate the next generation of

aerospace engineers and scientists.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not talk a little bit about the host city,

Prague. I conducted my undergraduate study-abroad semester in Prague, so

returning to what I, very subjectively, consider to be the most beautiful city in

Europe and a former home was quite a treat. I found it interesting that the

28th IAC was held in Prague in 1977, and while the city has undoubtedly

changed since then, little if anything appears different since I lived there 3

years ago. I highly recommend visiting Prague, where residents highly cher-

ish their history but, at the same time, pride themselves on shrugging off their

Cold War past and moving into the future. Did you know that the Czech Re-

public has its own Czech Space Office?

SSB Research Associate Presents at the

61st International Astronautical Congress

STEM

Educa-

tion

Science Innova-

tion

OECD Investing in the Knowledge Economy relation to cube-

sats New University graduates x

New Doctoral graduates x

Human resources in science

and technology x

Tertiary level graduates

employed x

OECD Connecting to Global Research relation to cubesats

International cooperation in

research x x x

International cooperation in

science x

International collaboration.

on innovation x

OECD Competing in the World Econ. relation to cubesats

International trade x

International trade in ICT

goods and services x

Electronic commerce x

Non-technological innova-

tion x

Product and market innova-

tion using trademarks x

Internet access and use by

businesses x

Entrepreneurship x

OECD Targeting New Growth Areas relation to cubesats

Environmental sciences x x x

Telecommunication net-

works x

Health-related R&D x

Biotechnology R&D x

Biosciences x

Government R&D budgets x x x

Public-private cross-funding

of R&D x x x

Collaboration by innovating

firms x

OECD Responding to the Economic Crisis relation to cubesats

Venture capital in the eco-

nomic crisis x

R&D in the econ. crisis x x x

Patent intensity over the

business cycle x

JULY—SEPTEMBER 2010

VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 11

Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Internship

During this quarter the Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy

Internship Program welcomed Gabriele Betancourt Martinez

(Yale University) and Jason Callahan (George Washington

University) as participants in its 2010 autumn program and

said good-bye to our 2010 summer interns, Dara Fisher and

Andreas Frick.

The goal of the program is to provide promising students

with the opportunity to work in the area of civil space-research

policy in the nation’s capital, under the aegis of the SSB. Ad-

ditional information on the program can be found in this news-

letter and at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/

ssb_052239.

Gabriele Betancourt-Martinez graduated in May of 2010

from Yale University with a B.S. in astronomy and physics.

Her senior project involved optimizing the circuitry for the

photomultiplier tube array in PIXeY (Particle Identification in

Xenon at Yale), a small-scale, liquid xenon dark matter detec-

tor. She also investigated the kinematics and evolution of mul-

tiple star-forming dense cores in the radio band through the

Yale STARS II fellowship. She is greatly enjoying exploring

the realm of space policy as a way of combining her love of

practicing science with increased interaction with the public,

and suspects that she will return to the field at some point in

her career. When not working, Gabriele spends her time danc-

ing, riding horses, traveling, and indulging in her foodie ten-

dencies. She will begin a Ph.D. program in astronomy at the

University of Maryland, College Park, in fall 2011.

Jason Callahan is in the second year of the master’s degree

program in International Science and Technology Policy at

George Washington University’s Space Policy Institute, where

he also works as a research assistant. He received his bache-

lor’s degree from the University of Florida in history of sci-

ence, and a master’s degree from the Georgia Institute of

Technology in history and sociology of science and technol-

ogy. Jason spent the summer working as an intern for the Tauri

Group.

Dara Fisher completed her assignment with the SSB as a Sum-

mer 2010 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern in August. Her

reflections on her experience with the SSB appear below.

When I first received an offer from the Space Studies

Board for a Berkner internship in the summer of 2010, I was

absolutely thrilled. When I had first read about the program

STAFF NEWS

midway through my junior year, I thought that it perfectly bal-

anced my academic interests—space science, communications,

and the world of public policy. In my 10 weeks spent in

Washington, all of my hopes for this internship have been real-

ized, and I am returning to school with more real-world knowl-

edge than I ever imagined.

During my time with the SSB, I participated in an ex-

tremely diverse set of activities, including contributing to four

different decadal surveys, writing report briefs for five NRC

publications, and attending meetings for both standing com-

mittees and the Steering Committee of the Planetary Science

Decadal Survey. Additionally, I was able to attend many

space-related events and receptions around Washington, DC,

including several events on Capitol Hill and an NRC report

briefing to Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL).

I have gained so much valuable experience during my time

here, and this opportunity has helped me to decide that a future

in national science policy is the right career choice for me. I

look forward to continuing down this path after I graduate next

spring, and I have the SSB and Aeronautics and Space Engi-

neering Board staff to thank for this decision. I hope that we

will stay in touch and I will see you all upon my return to

Washington!

Andreas Frick completed his assignment with the SSB as a

Summer 2010 Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Intern in August.

His reflections on his experience with the SSB appear below.

If there is one emblematic question during the final years

of my undergraduate life as a double-major in aerospace engi-

neering and political science, it would be “And what are you

going to do with that?” To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure at the

time if there was any single, concise, and honest answer to that

question. I had been weighing various career options, graduate

programs, and internships, but none of them seemed to com-

bine my interests as convincingly as the Berkner internship.

Needless to say, I was delighted to accept.

Within the first week of my internship, my desk became

populated with various policy studies and space mission con-

cepts relating to the ongoing Planetary Science Decadal Sur-

vey—which would become the framework for the majority of

my tasks during the internship. Despite my high expectations,

the depth and breadth of the projects I was involved with was

far beyond what I had imagined. Also within the first week, I

had the pleasure to attend a space and national security policy

roundtable at the National Press Club, as well as a House Sci-

ence and Technology Committee hearing featuring astronauts

Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan, former Lockheed vice

(Continued on page 12)

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

PAGE 12 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

MICHAEL H. MOLONEY

Director

JOSEPH K. ALEXANDER

Senior Program Officer

ARTHUR A. CHARO

Senior Program Officer

SANDRA J. GRAHAM

Senior Program Officer

IAN W. PRYKE

Senior Program Officer

ROBERT (ROC) RIEMER*

Senior Program Officer

DAVID H. SMITH

Senior Program Officer

DWAYNE A. DAY

Program Officer

DAVID LANG*

Program Officer

ABIGAIL SHEFFER

Associate Program Officer

LEWIS GROSWALD

Research Associate

DIONNA WILLIAMS

Program Associate

TERRI BAKER

Senior Program Assistant

RODNEY N. HOWARD

Senior Program Assistant

LINDA WALKER

Senior Program Assistant

TANJA E. PILZAK

Manager, Program Operations

CHRISTINA O. SHIPMAN

Financial Officer

CARMELA J. CHAMBERLAIN

Administrative Coordinator

CATHERINE A. GRUBER

Editor

CELESTE A. NAYLOR

Information Management Associate

SANDRA WILSON

Financial Assistant

Lloyd V. Berkner Space Policy Interns

Autumn 2010

GABRIELE BETANCOURT-MARTINEZ

JASON CALLAHAN

Summer 2010

DARA FISHER

ANDREAS FRICK

*Staff of other NRC boards who are shared with the SSB

SSB STAFF

Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology

Policy Graduate Fellowship Program

We are also happy to welcome Bruno Sánchez-Andrade Nuño as the SSB’s Fall

2010 Mirzayan Fellow. The Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy

Graduate Fellowship Program within the Policy and Global Affairs Division of

the National Academies is designed to engage its fellows in the analytical process

that informs U.S. science and technology policy. Fellows develop basic skills

essential to working or participating in science policy at the federal, state, or local

levels. More information about the fellows program can be found at http://

sites.nationalacademies.org/PGA/policyfellows/index.htm.

Bruno Sánchez-Andrade Nuño has worked since 2008 as a space and rocket

scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. He is a faculty

member at George Mason University. In 2008 he obtained his Ph.D. in astrophys-

ics at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Goettingen, Ger-

many. Both his current work and Ph.D. have focused on understanding the Sun

and the Sun-Earth relation, including space weather. In the past 7 years, he has

also devoted much of his free time to science outreach in several countries with

articles, webpages, workshops and conferences. He has a strong passion for sci-

ence and technology and its practical applications for a better world and the un-

derstating of this increasing potential by the society. This professional drive, and

his will to benefit the society at large has lead Bruno to pursue a career in science

policy. As a Mirzayan fellow, he is excited to engage the complicated world of

science advice and policy. Originally from a small village in Asturias, Spain, he

tries to keep up a balanced life of running, reading, climbing, and getting to know

other cultures as much as possible.

president Tom Young (who I’d become more acquainted with at various SSB ac-

tivities), and NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden. This was just the beginning of

many out-of-office meetings organized by the SSB for the benefit of acquainting

the interns with the “who’s who” of space policy. Many of them had been in-

volved with the SSB in some capacity. I was in good company.

Furthermore, I contributed to the heliophysics and the biological and physical

science in space decadal surveys, helped to prepare a study briefing for an ASEB

study, contributed to the SSB annual report, as well as several other tasks and ac-

tivities. In the process, I would often find myself a in a room with some of the

world’s most renowned experts in their fields.

And yet, I still don’t have a short answer to the question of how to consolidate

a background in aerospace engineering and political science. If anything, the

Berkner internship has taught me how complex and profound these interactions

really are—far beyond any “simple answer.” I am now pursuing an M.A. in inter-

national science and technology policy at George Washington University, with a

focus in space policy. I am extremely grateful to everyone at the SSB for helping

augment my scientific and technological understanding with broad, program-level

analysis and public policy. I am confident our paths will cross again during my

time in Washington, DC and beyond.

(Continued from page 11)

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VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ PAGE 13

October 13-15 Committee on Origins and Evolution of Life (COEL)—Woods Hole, MA

November 8-10 Space Studies Board (SSB) and Workshop on Sharing the Adventure with the Public: The

Value and Excitement of “Grand Questions” of Space Science and Exploration —Irvine,

CA

November 15-17 Decadal Survey on Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics): Panel on Atmosphere-

Ionosphere-Magnetosphere Interactions—Boulder, CO

November 17-19 Decadal Survey on Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics): Solar Wind-Magnetosphere

Interactions—Boulder, CO

November 29-

December 1

Decadal Survey on Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics): Panel on Solar and

Heliospheric Physics—Washington, DC

January 31-

February 2

Committee on Planetary Protection Standards for Icy Bodies in the Solar System—

Washington DC

S S B C a l e n d a r

D E C

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1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31

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S M T W Th F Sa

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30

J A N

S M T W Th F Sa

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31 1 2

O C T

S M T W Th F Sa

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24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

April 6-8, 2011, in Washington, DC

(April 6 is a joint session with the ASEB)

November 8-10, 2011, in Irvine, CA

April 4-6, 2012, in Washington, DC

(April 4 is a joint session with the ASEB)

November 5-7, 2012, Irvine, CA

F u t u r e s s b M e e t i n g s

SPACE STUDIES BOARD NEWS

PAGE 14 WWW.NATIONALACADEMIES.ORG/SSB/ VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3

SELECTED REPORTS AVAILABLE FROM THE SPACE STUDIES BOARD For a complete list of titles visit our website at <http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/ssb_051650>

Free PDF versions of all SSB reports are available online at <www.nap.edu>. (Search for available titles then click the blue “Sign in” button to download a free PDF version of the report.)

Hardcopy versions of all reports are available free of charge from the SSB while supplies last. To request a hardcopy of a report please send an email to ssb@nas.edu, include your name, mailing address, and affiliation.

Remember to include the name and quantity of each report that you are requesting.

New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics (2010) Prepublication Only

The Space Studies Board 1958-2010: Compilation of Reports (2010) DVD Only

Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era of Space Exploration: An Interim Report (2010)

Controlling Cost Growth of NASA Earth and Space Science Missions (2010) Prepublication Only

Capabilities for the Future: An Assessment of NASA Laboratories for Basic Research (2010)

Revitalizing NASA's Suborbital Program: Advancing Science, Driving Inno-vation, and Developing a Workforce (2010)

Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies: Final Report (2010) CD Only

An Enabling Foundation for NASA's Space and Earth Science Missions (2009)

Near-Earth Objects Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies: Interim Re-port (2009)

America’s Future in Space: Aligning the Civil Space Program with National Needs (2009)

Approaches to Future Space Cooperation and Competition in a Globalizing World: Summary of a Workshop (2009)

Radioisotope Power Systems: An Imperative for Maintaining U.S. Leader-ship in Space Exploration (2009) CD Only

Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Mars Sample Return Missions (2009)

A Performance Assessment of NASA’s Heliophysics Program (2009)

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2008 (2009)

Severe Space Weather Events—Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts Workshop Report (2008)

Launching Science: Science Opportunities Provided by NASA's Constella-tion System (2008)

Satellite Observations to Benefit Science and Society: Recommended Missions for the Next Decade (2008) Booklet

Ensuring the Climate Record from the NPOESS and GOES-R Spacecraft: Elements of a Strategy to Recover Measurement Capabilities Lost in Pro-gram Restructuring (2008)

Opening New Frontiers in Space: Choices for the Next New Frontiers An-nouncement of Opportunity (2008)

Space Studies Board Annual Report 2007 (2008)

Space Science and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Summary of a Workshop (2008)

Assessment of the NASA Astrobiology Institute (2008)

Grading NASA's Solar System Exploration Program: A Midterm Review (2008)

NASA's Beyond Einstein Program: An Architecture for Implementation (2007)

The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems (2007)

If you are unable to email your request, please send a copy of this form to the ad-dress or fax number below. Remember to enter the number of reports you wish to re-ceive in the space to the left of each report. Space Studies Board The National Academies 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 or fax a copy to: 202-334-3701

Name E-mail

Affiliation

Address City/State/Zip